Aliyah lay on the sofa with her legs tucked under her. Her leather pants pulled taut across her thighs. She looked herself over and liked how they fit, as tight as they were. Her blouse fell over her nicely, but the sleeves clung to her arms. The club was warm and making her sweat. Or maybe that was the alcohol. She grabbed her water only to find she’d finished it already.
As she set the bottle down, the dance floor cheered. On stage, the DJ switched songs, playing one that everybody recognized. He could barely say Aja’s name over the uproar. The sub-woofers rumbled with her signature bass.
Aliyah sighed. She wanted another margarita. She searched for somebody to ask, but all the waitstaff was busy, and Tiffany was downstairs. She frowned until she noticed Kelvin.
In the far corner, he stood as close to the show as he could. He leaned over the rail on his elbows and bobbed his head. His smile was so big she couldn’t help but smile herself.
She took out her phone to sneak a picture. He nearly drowned in his new outfit. The sleeves of his button-down glowed under the blacklights. He coordinated with it a pair of designer jeans, a dark belt, and a pinstripe vest. He just needed a haircut.
He must’ve felt her staring because he looked over when she snapped the picture. He laughed at himself while she blushed. He struck a pose for her afterward, doing his best smolder. She laughed so hard she almost dropped her phone.
Below, Aja strutted onto the stage and hollered, “What up, Hollywood?”
The DJ shut off the lights before she began. The bass cut out. The melody slowed. The song had a softer feel to it. It was the first one she wrote after she signed in L.A.
“Is this real? Someone pinch me. Someone make sure I can feel. How’d the wheels touch down in Tinseltown, yet I’m the one who squealed? How’d the heels walk out above the clouds, yet still they struck steel? Thought that chasing dreams just wasted steam while fogging up my field. How’d I finally sign a deal? How’d I finally start to heal? How’d I go from rags to riches that I didn’t even steal? No more struggling for my meals. Someone tell me is this real!”
On the next drop, the lights flashed on. The crowd screamed and threw their hands up. Phones illuminated the dance floor. The lasers pierced the fog as billows filled the air.
Kelvin danced in place. His energy resonated with the crowd. Aliyah felt the excitement herself. She soon got off the sofa to join him.
“Do you want to go down there?”
“I don’t know. Kinda. But, like, who would I go with?”
“I’m sure we can find someone.”
They talked about it earlier that day. If he wanted to leave VIP, he couldn’t do it alone. He was underage, and she didn’t want him to get thrown out. She didn’t need to explain herself further. He already knew she wouldn’t be the one to go with him. Aliyah didn’t like crowds, unless they were her own.
Kelvin shrugged.
Behind his back, she waved for Miko to join them. The coarse woman downed another shot before heading over. He jumped when she appeared beside them.
“You’re going downstairs, right?” Aliyah asked.
“Yeah, I got some girlfriends by the stage.”
“Could you take Kelvin with you?”
He shoved off the rail, interrupting, “Nah, it’s cool. I can stay up here. It’s no big deal.”
“Oh, come on.” Miko pushed him. “Don’t be like that. You ain’t scared of me, are you?”
“A little.”
Aliyah laughed at his honesty.
“No, don’t be like that.” She pushed him again. “Maybe I came on a little strong, but Aja talked to me. So, we’re cool.”
Kelvin fiddled with his vest. He winced like he didn’t want to go but bounced on his heels like he couldn’t wait to leave.
“What about Aja?” Aliyah nudged him. “I bet she’d love to see you down there.”
He furled his brow. “You think?”
“You know how she likes her crowds: the bigger, the better.”
He chuckled then looked at Miko once more.
Although Aliyah didn’t love the idea, she knew he shouldn’t stay in VIP all night. He was a big fan of Aja and deserved the full concert experience. She hated knowing why he was a big fan, but that didn’t matter right now.
Kelvin never got the chance to answer. Miko grabbed his wrist and made the decision for him. He didn’t really fight it.
After they left, Tiffany came by with two more margaritas. She raised one for her friend while taking a sip of the other.
Aliyah grinned.
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